Officer-involved shooting investigation in Central Fresno

A 30-year-old man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Central Fresno.

Captain Randy Dobbins tells Action News, a tactical team had staged at the Cedar Woods Apartment Complex looking for a suspect from a November shooting. Detectives watched as the man left one of the units and walked towards an SUV.

When asked to surrender, Dobbins said, "At that point they identified themselves and demanded he submit to an arrest. The suspect reached into his waistband and the officers saw a handgun."

Police were following leads after a gang-related shooting in Pinedale on November 10th. The victim in that shooting sustained non-life threatening injuries. Detectives say the 30-year-old man they were after was their main suspect. He's believed to be a known gang member and has an extensive criminal history.

"Robberies, in at least three separate occasions he was in possession of a firearm," Dobbins said. "In one of those occasions he had two handguns in his possession at the time he was arrested."

Police say they'd been after the suspect for the past few weeks, even served search warrants at multiple locations. They also say these sorts of situations are difficult for officers.

Dobbins said, "The last thing we want to do is have to shoot somebody but in this case our hand was forced."

The man's identity has not been released. His girlfriend, who he was reportedly visiting, is being questioned.